November is Hindu Heritage Month in Ontario, home to a large and vibrant Hindu community. We recognize the cultural, political, professional and economic contributions of the province’s diverse Hindu communities. Celebrate Hindu culture, people and accomplishments with this reading list.
Holi Colors by Rina Singh
Experience Holi with every color of the rainbow! This Hindu celebration known as the festival of colours and the festival of love signifies the end of winter, the arrival of spring and the victory of good over evil. It's a time to laugh, play, visit friends and get messy! Little ones will love exploring the colours of Holi through the vibrant photographs and Singh's playful rhymes in this brilliant concept book. Ages 0-2.
Festival of Colors by Kabir Sehgal and Surishtha Sehgal
Sibilings Chintoo and Mintoo collect flowers and press the petals into a fine powder as they prepare for Holi, the Indian springtime Festival of Colors. Ages 2-8.
Sita's Ramayana by Samhita Arni
A retelling of the Ramayana told through the eyes of Sita. When Sita, Rama and his brother are banished from their kingdom, Sita is captured by the arrogant King Ravana and imprisoned in a garden across the ocean. Sita refuses to become his wife and eventually Rama comes to her rescue. But unable to trust Sita, Rama forces her to undergo an ordeal by fire to prove her loyalty! Middle grade.
A Hindu Life by Cath Senker
Hinduism is a major world religion full of culture and tradition. Throughout all parts of life, followers of the faith take part in many important celebrations and ceremonies. Readers of this innovative volume learn about the core beliefs of Hinduism and get a sense of what it is like to follow the religion. Thirteen detailed chapters explore rituals, history, beliefs, enjoyment, and culture.
Why I am a Hindu by Shashi Tharoor
India's leading public intellectual, Shashi Tharoor, lays out Hinduism's origins and its key philosophical concepts, major texts and everyday Hindu beliefs and practices, from worship to pilgrimage to caste. He is unsparing in his criticism of extremism and unequivocal in his belief that what makes India a distinctive nation with a unique culture will be imperiled if Hindu "fundamentalists" seize the high ground.
The Bhagavad Gita: Talks Between the Soul and God by Ranchor Prime
At its heart, the Bhagavad Gita deals with the mysteries of life: the nature of the Self, the Universe/Higher Power, and the World. Spoken on a battlefield, it is a conversation between the soul and an Avatar, a Divine Being. Ranchor Prime's version is distinguished by his nonsectarian approach, making the Gita relevant to those of all religions or none and emphasizing the link between spirituality and self-development.
Being Hindu: Understanding a Peaceful Path in a Violent World by Hindol Sengupta
Being Hindu is a practitioner's guide that takes the reader on a journey to very simply understand what the Hindu message is, where it stands in the clash of civilizations between Islam and Christianity, and why the Hindu way could yet be the path for plurality and progress in the twenty-first century.
Redeeming the Kamasutra by Wendy Doniger
In this scholarly and superbly readable book, one of the world's foremost authorities on ancient Indian texts seeks to restore the Kamasutra to its proper place in the Sanskrit canon, as a landmark of India's secular literature. In its encyclopedic social and psychological narratives, it also displays surprisingly modern ideas about gender and role-playing, female sexuality, and homosexual desire.
The Mahabharata: An Abridged Translation by John D. Smith
A translation of an epic from ancient India, revealing a mythic world of bloody conflict, magic and beauty. The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. It is of immense importance to the culture of the Indian subcontinent, and is a major text of Hinduism.
Introducing Hinduism by Hillary Rodrigues
Introducing Hinduism is the ideal sourcebook for those seeking a comprehensive overview of the Hindu tradition. This second edition includes substantial treatments of Tantra, South India, and women, as well as expanded discussions of yoga, Vedanta and contemporary configurations of Hinduism in the West.
Midnight's Furies: The Deadly Legacy of India's Partition by Nisid Hajari
In August 1946, exactly a year before Independence, Calcutta erupted in riots. A cycle of street-fighting — targeting Hindus, then Muslims, then Sikhs — spun out of control. As the summer of 1947 approached, all three groups were heavily armed and on edge, and the British rushed to leave. Hell let loose. Trains carried Muslims west and Hindus east to their slaughter. Some of the most brutal and widespread ethnic cleansing in modern history erupted on both sides of the new border, searing a divide between India and Pakistan that remains a root cause of many evils.
